Anchor Shepard Smith led his afternoon newscast with Trump's actions, which he said "some critics are calling sexist cyberbullying."

He interviewed "MediaBuzz" host Howard Kurtz, who noted that Trump frequently punches back at critics, but said, "This is a punch where he has actually wounded himself."

Kurtz said, "It's perfectly clear to people who are not paid to defend him that he crossed a line." He said the White House can't blame the media for harsh coverage since it brought the issue on itself.

Smith also took the unusual step of reading three emails from viewers who criticized him for his coverage of the story.

He said one reader wrote on social media that "Shep is a liberal hemorrhoid" who would better fit on MSNBC.

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1:10 p.m.

Congressional Republicans and Democrats are speaking as one in criticizing President Donald Trump's crude tweet about a female cable TV anchor.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters Thursday that Trump's tweet "really saddens me because it is so beneath the dignity of the president of the United States to engage in such behavior."

She says it was "blatantly sexist."

Illinois Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger wrote on Twitter: "Mr. President, it is incumbent upon ALL of us to tone down this divisive political rhetoric.#RestoreCivility."

Florida Republican congressman Carlos Curbelo put out a series of tweets saying leaders should set an example free of personal attacks and vitriol.

"Let's all remember the lessons from the Congressional shooting just a couple weeks ago. We must treat one another with decency & respect."

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1:05 p.m.

First Lady Melania Trump is defending her husband's Twitter attacks on a female cable news host.

President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday that MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski was "bleeding badly from a face-lift" when she tried to visit him at his Florida estate.

He also called her "crazy" and insulted her intelligence.

The first lady's spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said Melania Trump has long said that "when her husband gets attacked, he will punch back 10 times harder."

Melania Trump has said that she hopes to use her White House position to combat cyberbullying.

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12:35 p.m.

A Republican senator is alluding to the recent shooting that wounded a congressman in response to the president's crude tweets about a cable television host.

Sen. James Lankford insists President Donald Trump and other leaders "should model civility, honor and respect in their political rhetoric."

The Oklahoma lawmaker says Trump's comments "don't help our political or national discourse and do not provide a positive role model for our national dialogue."

Lankford says he oversaw a hearing with U.S. Capitol Police that touched on safety after the June 14 shooting of Republican Rep. Steve Scalise and several others at a baseball practice. Scalise remains hospitalized after the attack.

The gunman died after an exchange of shots with police; he had railed against Trump and Republicans.

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11:55 a.m.

Speaker Paul Ryan says President Donald Trump's crude tweet about a cable news anchor is not an "appropriate comment."

Ryan told reporters Thursday: "Obviously I don't see that as an appropriate comment. What we're trying to do around here is improve the tone and civility of the debate, and this obviously doesn't help."

The Wisconsin Republican was responding to a series of Trump tweets Thursday morning. The president went after Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, who have criticized Trump on their MSNBC show "Morning Joe." Trump called her "low I.Q. Crazy Mika" and him "Psycho Joe." He also claimed to have seen Brzezinski "bleeding badly from a face-lift."

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11:35 a.m.

A White House spokeswoman is defending President Donald Trump's tweets attacking two cable television hosts, saying he fights "fire with fire."

Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders tells Fox News the president has never been someone "who gets attacked and doesn't push back."

Trump went after MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough Thursday morning, calling her "low I.Q. Crazy Mika" and him "Psycho Joe." He also claimed to have seen Brzezinski "bleeding badly from a face-lift."

Sanders says the show has made "an outrageous number of personal attacks" on the president and says Trump "fights fire with fire and certainly will not be allowed to be bullied by liberal media and the liberal elites within the media or Hollywood or anywhere else."

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11:28 a.m.

A woman in the Senate says "this has to stop" after President Donald Trump ridiculed a cable television anchor over her appearance.

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins says in a tweet: "This has to stop — we all have a job — 3 branches of gov't and media. We don't have to get along, but we must show respect and civility."

In a series of tweets Thursday morning, the president went after Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, who have criticized Trump on their MSNBC show "Morning Joe." Trump called Brzezinski "crazy" and said he had seen her "bleeding badly from a face-lift."

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11:15 a.m.

One of the longest-serving women in Congress says President Donald Trump's tweets about Mika Brzezinski were "heinous and vile."

Democrat Nita Lowey of New York says, "The president's behavior should be repudiated loudly and clearly."

On Twitter Thursday, Trump called Brzezinski "crazy" and said he had seen her "bleeding badly from a face-lift."

Lowey says the president's tweets were "heinous and vile comments about the looks and intelligence of a prominent woman."

Republicans are also recoiling from Trump's attack on Brezeziniski, with two GOP senators saying the tweets are beneath the dignity of the office.

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10:45 a.m.

A Republican woman in the House is assailing President Donald Trump for his crude tweet ridiculing a cable news anchor.

Five-term congresswoman Lynn Jenkins of Kansas says on Twitter: "This is not okay. As a female in politics I am often criticized for my looks. We should be working to empower women."

In a series of tweets Thursday morning, the president went after Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, who have criticized Trump on their MSNBC show "Morning Joe." Trump called Brzezinski "crazy" and said he had seen her "bleeding badly from a face-lift."

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10:40 a.m.

Two Republican senators say the president's crude tweet about a female cable TV host is beneath the dignity of the office.

In a series of tweets Thursday morning, President Donald Trump went after Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, who have criticized Trump on their MSNBC show "Morning Joe." Trump called Brzezinski "crazy" and said he had seen her "bleeding badly from a face-lift."

Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse said on Twitter: "Please just stop. This isn't normal and it's beneath the dignity of your office."

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham tweeted: "Mr. President, your tweet was beneath the office and represents what is wrong with American politics, not the greatness of America."

Sasse did not support Trump in the presidential race, and Graham ran against Trump for the GOP nomination.

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10:15 a.m.

President Donald Trump has ridiculed the looks and temperament of a female cable television host whose show he says he's stopped watching.

Trump has used a series of tweets to go after Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, who've criticized Trump on their MSNBC show "Morning Joe."

Here's what Trump says: "I heard poorly rated @Morning Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came ... to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!"

They spent time at Trump's Florida resort — a visit Scarborough said was to arrange a Trump interview.